I took 3000 photos of wintering ducks last trip to the Cave Run Lake area-most of which were unusable except for a few for ID purposes. The ISO balance/auto focus/shutter speed/ in my Canon EOS 40D couldn't handle distant ducks with sun against me. Been reading great reviews on the capabilities of the new Canon EOS 7D, so decided to get one after Christmas when prices fall.

Here are some of the O.K. or passable photos

11-22-09, Minor Clark Fish Hatchery, Swamp Sparrow

A week ago I happened on a pair of Pileated Woodpeckers feasting on wild grapes. They didn't seem to notice me peering at them through the trees

11-26-09, Minor Clark Fish Hatchery, female Pileated Woodpecker

11-26-09, Minor Clark Fish Hatchery, male Pileated Woodpecker

I glanced up to see what resembled a climbing groundhog

11-26-09, Minor Clark Fish Hatchery, very fat Eastern Fox Squirrel

When I looked back, a flock of Yellow-rumped Warblers was moving all around me

11-26-09, Minor Clark fish Hatchery, 1rst yr. female Yellow-rumped Warbler

We checked one of the fish breeding pools that still had water and found a flock of Buffleheads

11-26-09, Minor Clark Fish Hatchery, 1rst winter male, female, breeding male Buffleheads

We then drove over to Shallow Flats at Cave Run Lake

11-26-09, 2 female Greater Scaups, male Gadwall

11-26-09, Shallow flats at Cave Run Lake, 2 male Gadwalls

11-26-09, male Gadwalls

Two days later we returned to Minor Clark Fish Hatchery and found a flock of mixed ducks on the filled fish breeding pool. But just then a hawk flew over

11-28-09, Minor Clark Fish Hatchery, juvenile Red-shouldered Hawk

which stampeded the ducks right at us

11-28-09, Fish Hatchery, Mallards, Buffleheads, startled by juvenile Red-shouldered Hawk

The flock of Buffleheads landed on another fish pool

11-28-09, Minor Clark Fish Hatchery, 1rst winter male, female Buffleheads

1rst winter male Buffleheads

I glimpsed a flock of ducks out on the lagoon but when I approached the trees and brush along the shore I spooked a duck off the bank out into the river. I peeked through the brush to see what it was

11-28-09, Fish Hatchery lagoon, male Hooded Merganser, trying to see what startled it

Soon it joined its flock out on the water

11-28-09, Minor Clark Fish Hatchery lagoon, male and female Hooded Mergansers

I circled the lagoon and encountered some Field Sparrows foraging through a thicket

11-28-09

One popped out of the leaves close to me

I can hardly wait to return to the fish hatchery with the Canon EOS 7D to see how it handles distance and tricky lighting. Waiting until after Christmas will be hard, but I want a better price so I can afford a new exterior flash also, since my old one broke.